The Washington critic., 1887-12-24
HuHIgrlIAs

CH1,tSThNS.
To old and young-tos sircs and danes,
gazing backward through the mists OF
years, and to little children, rosy with
the tints of morning-comes Christmas
like an inspiration.
To the one, as trees laden with riponed
fruit, it is full of consccra,cd memories;
to the other, as it wcro spring blossom
ing into summer, IL gloWs with tho hap
piest of anticipations.
1t seems long, long time since the
old themselves were young and hanging
up their stockings, as the little folks will
do tonight, but the line OF kinship and
succession that binds the hearts of all
Christendom to the anniversary we arc
about to celebrate goes on unbrokcn
from generation TO generation and to
the same sweet music.
The anthems that we sing to-day, in
the same spirit if not in the same words,
were sung hundred years ago, and the
songs of hundred years ago are but
echoes of the angelic voices that re-
sounded over the stnrlit plains of Judoa
when the Christ was born.
The festival that VIC keep can never
fade out Of observance, because of its
sympathetic Identification with the faith
we profess. 1t carries us back to the
manger in Bethlehem and leads MS on
ward to the streets OF the New leru-
salem.
II is the suggestion of perennial
promise; and even as it has become
stated solomnity of the church, so has
it entered into our social economy. Nor
is it any the less sacred in that 1t is also
secular. Holiday and holy day both, it
is recognized by the civil law as by relig-
ious ritual, and around the hearth, as
around the altar, bespeaks the near re-
lationship of God to man, and of man to
his fellow-man.
There is no other anniversary that
can take its place or with which we
would not sooner part.
There are holidays that appeal to our
love of country and stir all our patriotic
impulses. There are holidays that in
yoke our tributes to the heroic dead
and the illustrious achievements they
wrought. There are DAYS that COM
memorate great men and great events
that we do well to honor, for al fostivi-
ties that lift us above the work-day
round Of the world to loftier planes OF
vision and reflection are TO be cher
ished and encouraged.
But Christmas alone reminds us year
by year of the birth of One who, in the
spiritual likeness of the Father, put on
an incarnate form as the Son, to exem-
plify in his daily walk and conversation
the virtues that most exalt mankind and
in the manner of his death to teach the
sublimest lesson Of self-sacrifce upon
the pages Of the worlds history.
There is no other feast-day on the
calendar so calculated to develop the
impulses of mans nature and warm its
selfish instincts into sentiments of
kindliness and gratitude.
The very fact that Christmas is what
IL is-investcd with 80 many tender as
sociations, established so securely in
human recognition and so charmingy
jnterwoven with the amenities of social
life, shows that it had no common origin.
1t is universal and permanent. It's
evergreens are ever green. The sailor
on tho stormy sea tonight will catch
glimpses Of its radiance from some far
on cottage. The soldier in his camp
will hear the melody of its chimes in his
dreams. The lonely wandercr in dis
tant lands, reverting in his reveries TO
long past Christmas ewes, will hear their
musical footballs in tho beatings OF his
heart.
In all lands and all clincs it will hc
observed and remembered as the Day
of Beneficence.
It recalls with pathetic and appealing
emphasis Gods best gift To man. Hence
Is II regarded az peculiarly mn occasion
for the best gifts OF Gods children ia
one another; and rs all have cause to re,
joice in its coming, so should all be made
10 rejoice that It has come-the pooi
widow in her solitude, the orphans in
their destitusion, the suffering aud
frlendless everywhere in their distress.
Christ, saith the believer. died 90,
them rs well rs for the fayontes Of .
kindlier fortune.
Let 1t not be that, with Chrisi's aam,
upon his lips, the Christian shall forge
them; or that any of those who ar,
blessed with an abundaucr shall fail to
Jemember how far little substantial
sympathy will 60 to those who nay,
nothing.
READ THE COMPARATIVE tables fur
nished by the Health Office, Tho fg
ures are authoritative and convincing
and certainly ought to be satisfactory, n,
TO the salubrity of the National Capital
ELIJAH II. NoRToS Of Missouri was ,
member of the Thirty-sevollh Cun.Gcss
and was one Of tve member Who. o,
July 10, 1861. voted in the ncgaiiyr VI
resolution pledEing the House b. Rep
roscntatives 70 all measurcs nceeesory tai